A new MRI scan developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia details the location and magnitude of brain lesions, which could help doctors diagnose patients more effectively.

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THURSDAY, June 13, 2013 — Technological advances have made MRI machines more sensitive, which could speed multiple sclerosis diagnoses and help doctors determine the effectiveness of medications, according to a study published in Neurology.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition caused when the immune system goes haywire and attacks the protective coating on nerves, a mistake that creates scarring within the brain. Current MRIs can tell doctors whether brain lesions are present, but they are unable to detail the extent of the damage. Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada have created a new MRI program that looks at both the location and magnitude of scarring.

“The conventional MRI is able to show us that there is something wrong with the brain,” said Alex Rauscher, PhD, physicist at the University of British Columbia and author of the study. “[The new method] shows us what’s damaged and the degree of damage to the brain tissue.”

Dr. Rauscher and his team followed 20 patients for six months, looking at how the new scan detected changes in their disease when compared with the old method. An MRI machine operates by sending out electromagnetic signals or waves. The difference between the old scan and the new scan is just a matter of how those waves are processed, Rauscher said. For example, a sound wave is judged based on frequency, low tone or high tone, but you can also describe it as an intensity – loud or soft. The old MRI scans look at just the electromagnetic intensity, but Rauscher’s scan takes frequency into account.

It sounds complicated, but it’s really just a matter of changing the formula used to make the MRI program. The development is important because it can be used to test whether an MS patient is responding to medication. This MRI technique can pick up brain damage faster, which allows doctors to respond faster.

“We can do a better job in diagnosing patients treating patients and following how they’re doing,” said Lily Jung Henson, MD, a neurologist at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute in Washington who was not involved with the study.

The advent of MRI was a pivotal development in MS diagnoses. In the 1970s, doctors didn’t have a quantifiable method of judging brain damage so they based their prescriptions on the severity of symptoms. This process was often time-consuming, making patients wait long periods of time before getting treatment.

“Since we started using MRI scans, we’ve made a huge difference on diagnosing MS earlier, which is good because it allows us to treat patients earlier,” Dr. Jung Henson said.

The high cost of an MRI means some patients are still unable to take advantage of its benefits. To track whether a medication is effective requires multiple scans, which may or may not be covered by insurance. Emily Munoz, a 32-year-old MS patient who works in New York City, said her MRI scans were too expensive to handle when she was first diagnosed.

“I remember paying a co-payment, and you would always get the bill after,” Munoz said. “I could never keep up. It was too expensive for me to pay.”

Rauscher estimates it could take up to a decade for his MRI technique to reach mainstream implementation. However, the good part about the new scan is that MRI technicians won’t have to replace any moving parts. It’s similar to updating a cell phone application. You don’t need a new phone to get the latest version of the app, you can simply buy the new program. So while MRIs are expensive in general, this should not add to the cost, Jung Henson added.

"The bottom line is it takes the availability of the MRI and the improved sensitivity of the MRI so we can do a better job in diagnosing patients, treating patients and following how they’re doing," Jung Henson said.

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